ESPN Panel Picks 2026 MLB Playoff Favorites by Round — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- ESPN's panel of 24 MLB experts released round-by-round playoff predictions, with the Dodgers drawing 23 of 24 NLDS votes over their bracket opponent, citing a four-ace rotation of Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow.
- The Milwaukee Brewers earned 22 NLDS votes as they pursue their first title following a franchise-record 103-win regular season, while the Tampa Bay Rays drew 18 ALDS votes behind baseball's stingiest walk rate (409, by far the fewest in MLB).
- The New York Yankees crushed the Red Sox 18-6 in ALWC voting, with Aaron Judge's status uncertain after a rib injury led to a right calf strain that landed him back on the injured list in September.
- The Atlanta Braves drew 18 NLWC votes over the Phillies, despite DraftKings pricing Philadelphia at +105 (roughly a coin flip), with voters citing a 36-run defensive gap favoring Atlanta this season.
- The Cleveland Guardians earned 19 ALDS votes as the league's hottest team entering October at 24-11 over their final 35 games, second only to Milwaukee over that span.
- The White Sox edged the Astros 13-11 in the closest ALWC vote, with Chicago's left-handed sluggers and Will Venable's bullpen deployment cited as October advantages.
- The Padres drew 17 NLWC votes over the Cubs, with Mason Miller and a bullpen built for October cited as the deciding factor against Chicago's late-season fade.
Why it matters: The Dodgers' 23-of-24 expert backing reflects their elite four-ace rotation, while the Brewers' 22 votes validate their franchise-record 103-win season. The panel split evenly on White Sox-Astros (13-11) but sided heavily with the Yankees and Braves (both 18-6) elsewhere — mapping where October looks settled versus coin-flip wild.
Ask SkimNews
